Welcome to the (World Festival and) Circus
by Fictionalities
Summary: The circus is here! Keep close to your parents, kids, because some of the people here are tricksters! Have a great night, and don't get lost.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to the Circus**

 **Hey guys! Lilly here. Arietta's still sick, so I'm writing. She'll be better soon though. Hope you enjoy! (Oh, Cities of the World won't be updated untill Ari's better. She's better at it than I am...)**

Welcome, welcome

Gather round

The wonderful circus

Is now in town!

Let go of your doubts

But keep your fears

They will be useful

To the people here

So just arrive

Come one, come all

We await you

Standing tall

The sign on the building was brightly colored, and it drew a crowd of children. Among them were two young boys, both with red hair and yellow-brown eyes. One shoved to the front, and read the poster. He made his way back to his brother, frowning.

"What is it, Lovino?" the brother said.

"It's a circus. But it sounds weird." Lovino said. He glared at the other kids.

"Can we go?" the young boy said, exited. A curl of hair on his head bounced up and down.

"No. Feliciano, it opens late, and Ludwig would kill us." Lovino looked up as a woman in a long skirt knelt down next to them.

"Why hello there, little boys, where's your mommy?" The woman said in an extremely condescending voice.

"Up your fucking ass, now get the fuck away from me bitch." Lovino shoved past the shocked woman to the busy street. He got in a taxi, and told the man driving their address. They drove in silence, Lovino glaring at the windows, and Feliciano looking sad and depressed, probably because he wouldn't be going to the circus.

"Please Lovi?" Feliciano turned to his brother.

"Fucking hell. FINE." Lovino crossed his arms and slunk down in his seat.

"VE~" Feliciano screamed.

"Shut the fuck up." Lovino grumbled.

When they arrived at their apartment building, they paid the driver and got out. Lovino stormed through the doors, and dragged Feliciano up the stairs.

Both boys had been pushed from place to place, and each person they had lived with ended up giving up. They all said that the boys were too loud, too crazy. Lovino was 17, and Feliciano 16. They were currently living with a man named Ludwig. He was only 20, which shocked Lovino. The man was strict, but almost never yelled at Feliciano.

"Ah, Feliciano, Lovino. You're home." Ludwig glanced up from cleaning.

"Ve~ Ludwig, can we go to the circus?" Feliciano asked, ignoring glares from his brother.

"No. It opens too late." Ludwig continued cleaning.

"Pleeeeeaaaaase?" Feliciano followed the man around the house, begging.

Romano glared at the hallway, then stormed into his room. He grabbed his wallet, a key, and a piece of paper that he'd written the circus's address on. he shoved all of them in his pocket, and went back downstairs. He knew it would be really hard to sneak out, but he _did_ kinda wanna see the circus, and maybe Feliciano would stop bugging him.

The crowds were suffocating. Hundreds of people crowded around the metal gates, waiting for the circus to open. Up above them, walking along the tall fence was a man. He grinned down at the mass of people, before running to the gates. His feet made a soft tapping noise on the metal. He stopped above the ticket booth, and pulled a top hat from his head. He pulled a stack of papers from inside his hat and threw them down onto the crowd. People reached up to grab them, and noticed they were tickets to the circus. There was a small scuffle as people grabbed for them, and the gates opened, letting everyone inside. One young girl looked up at the gates, and saw the man. He smiled at her, then disappeared. She tried to get her older brother to look, but he ignored her.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed that! Ari wanted me to write this, since I'm better at beginnings than she is. Review and tell me what you think! Anyone have any ideas who the mysterious man is? (I honestly have no idea who it's gonna be... hehe...) Have a nice day, people! Bye!

-Lilly, since Arietta's ill.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Circus Tent**  
 **Ciao! I'm better, yay! I've been SUPER sick, and so I really wanted to update. Have a great day guys!**

"Welcome! Have fun!" called the young boy from the tiny tent off to the side of the entrance. He grinned, and ducked back into the tent, his smile dropping. "There. Can I go now?"

His elder brother Arthur glared at him. "No. You have to help me with..."he gestured at the messy floor "Whatever the hell this is..."

"AGH. Fiiiiiiiine." The boy grumbled, and began picking up the pieces of fabric. "Who even did this?"

"The frog." Arthur glared at the floor. "Alfred, wait!" He yelled, seeing Alfred slip out of the tent

"Sorry, Arthur!" Alfred rushed out into the crowds. He sprinted past groups of awking people, and jumped over one boy who was tying his shoe. When he landed, he cartwheeled forward, running for a few paces on his hands before flipping upright, never losing speed. People stared, and Alfred grinned. Growing up in a circus is the BEST! He ran past a sign that said 'No Entry; Tigers' and skidded to a halt in front of a small trailer painted bright green. He smoothed down his hair, and caught his breath.

"Come in, Al!" said a voice.

Alfred gulped, and a lock of hair sprung upright. "Okay." He opened the door, and stepped into the trailer.

The walls were pasted with newspaper clippings about the circus, posters, and pictures of various people in the circus. Alfred noticed many were of his older brother. There was a chair shoved into one corner, but most of the tiny room was taken up by a table, cluttered with papers, books, and cotton candy. Wait-what?

Alfred glanced at the table, not wanting to be rude. "Um, sir, is that..."

The man sitting in the chair glanced up from his book. "Cotton candy? Yes. Try some, it's delicious." He grinned at Alfred. "And don't be nervous. I'm not strict like your brother."

Alfred reached over the papers and picked a piece of cotton candy. He yelped and dropped it, however, as it turned into a mouse. "What the hell?" He looked over at the man. "Sorry, sir."

"No, it's alright, Al. And what did I tell you to call me?" The man leaned forward.

"Um... Mister Rome?" Al grinned. "Sorry, sir- I mean, Mister Rome. How did you do that?"

Rome wagged a finger at Al. "A magician never reveals his secrets. But that piece there, that's real cotton candy."

Al reached for the piece, and it turned into a familiar yellow bird. "Wha-Gilbird?"

Rome laughed, a soothing sound. "Oh, sorry, I meant the other piece."

Al tentatively picked up the last piece of cotton candy, and put it in his mouth. It melted on his tongue, the sugar spreading through his mouth. "Wow, that's amazing. Also, how did you get Gilbert to let you use Gilbird?" Al held out his hand and Gilbird landed in it, cheeping.

"I didn't." Rome grinned again.

"Oh." Al set the bird on his shoulder. "I should go, Gil's gonna get worried soon."

Rome nodded. "Have fun, Al." He tossed one of the squeaking mice at Alfred.

Alfred jumped, and backed up quickly, staring in fear at the mouse.

"Are you afraid of mice, Al?" Rome laughed. He threw another squeaking rodent at the boy.

"N-No!" Al shrieked as the mouse sniffed at his shoe. He ran out of the trailer, yelling "TELL NO ONE!" behind him. He ran through the crowds again, heading towards the big tent. Gilbird fluttered after him.

Suddenly, a man tackled Alfred from behind, grabbing Gilbird. He stood, clutching the bird to his chest. "Why do you have Gilbird?"

"Hello to you too, Gilbert." Al grumbled, getting up. "Rome used him for one of his tricks."

Gilbert glared at Alfred. His eyes were red, and looked as if they had sucked all the color out of the rest of his body. His skin and hair were both the same shade of blinding white. He grabbed Al's arm, leading him into the big tent. "Come on, the event's starting soon."

"Event?" Al asked.

"The surprise party for West- I mean my brother." Gilbert grinned. "You didn't forget did you? You're going to feed the tigers."

* * *

What is it with me and cliffhangers lately? GAH! I hope you enjoy!


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